Ana and the Legacy of Bloodwing Fountain
by Laney La Chica
Summary: Was part of original 'Ana' series. The intro to a story I'm writing. It may not have to do with HP right now, but it will, trust me! Please R/R.
1. Default Chapter Title

A/N: I know this doesn't make much sense right now, but it will, trust me. Enjoy!!!!  
  
Introduction: The screaming  
  
Most people pretended they couldnt't hear the screaming. But it was there to be heard. Deafening screams often pierced the cold, clear night air surrounding the small village in Hopesville. The night air was loyal; it swam continuously throughout the small town, meticulously surveying each home and its inhabitants. People, however, don't like to be burdened with such scrutiny. They prefer to shut certain out of their minds, so they don't feel the guilt. One of these things is the screaming.  
The sound tavels from the smallest stone house in Hopesville, with the most raggedy-looking shutters, and the scarcest thatched roof. The little house had belonged to an old, deaf man, a stout personage who's scalp was nearly completely bald, with the exception of the gray tufts around his ears. He could never speak well to begin with, and his disability made any verbal communication an arduos task. So it was with great luck that his young daughter had lived with him, and was able to interperate things for him,  
She was a pretty young maiden, with long waves of chesnut hair, and large green eyes that showed hints of icy blue in them. She was very close to her father, so his death was devastating for her. He never had much, he couldn't even afford to put his daughter fully through school. He only tended vegetables quietly in the back of the tiny house for her to sell at the market. But he did have the house.  
And so the smallest stone house in Hopesville, with the most raggedy-looking shutters and the scarcest thatched roof became hers.  
But a house once filled with love had grown immensly dark, and now cries of help and screams were all the night air could make of the place. The cries were those of a woman, a lost souls shattered by her confusion. Also, a child. A helpless, defensless baby plunged unwillingly into vicious darkness.  
But the ever-prominent screams, the screams that chilled the blood of anylive, breathing thing that happened to be in earshot, the screams that everyone pretended not to hear, and the screams that the cold, clear night air remained faithful to, belonged to a man. A man of hate, cruelty, the very essence of darkness. The screams were of anger, terrifyingly real anger. His anger was the prominent source of all despair within the place, for he was despair and darkness. The essence of evil, and his occupation was pain oppression, and cruelty.  
The maiden had no power over him. Her simple, happy world had been destroyed, and her child and been born into a life of hatred.  
And so the screaming carried on. The man of anger, the woman whose smile was lost forever, and a baby who had yet to live. And still people shut out the sound, grinned falsely as if it wasn't there...  
The day came when a flash of light illuminated the periwinkle sky. One ear-piercing, glass-shattering scream was heard. One. A cry that seemed to come from the sole core of humanity, the deepest pain that could ever be felt. And then, all in an instant, it was gone.  
Silence.  
No screams. No crying. No pleas of help. Nothing, The house now seemed, in 50 seconds, as though it had been empty and condemned for 50 years.  
And then, when the cold, clear night air traveled through Hopesville, inspecting the smallest stone house, with the most raggedy-looking shutters and the scarcest thatched roof, it heard the faintest whimpers of a child. The same child.  
Alone with the night air. 


	2. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Here it is, the official beginning to the story! The last part was just the introduction, this is part one. (Well, obviously!) :)  
  
Part 1  
  
  
The wind tossed Ana's hair around her face. Her soft, coffee-colored strands hung gently in her eyes.  
She looked out of her bedroom window, which was half open. A palm tree swayed as a little gypsy wind tugged at its leaves. She closed her eyes and listened intently to the ocean waves that lapped at the sandy shores. But when she opened here eyes, she found herself to be, regrettably, in the same room.  
There was cracked paint on the walls surrounding her, and the hard, scratched wooden floor was warm to her bare feet in the tropical air. It was a shabby little. Only a cot and dresser occupied the space, along with an old, nearly destoyed wicker chair by the window. It was just enough for her to get by on.  
Her uncle was not rich man, and could barely afford to provide for her. 'Even if he really could,'Ana thought bitterly,'I doubt he would.' She was probably right. Her uncle had taken care of her as far back as she could remember, and it was as though he cared about her less and less with each passing year.  
He was an alchoholic, a violent, angry person with a hot temper he was known to show reguarly. A tall, muscular man, he had the typical facial stubble, sun-bleached hair, and tanned skin of the south. He was constantly losing jobs, makiing life very difficult for Ana and him.  
He tried to stay away from Ana as much as possible, if he could help it. He didn't understand her, or what she was. All he could make of it was that it wasn't normal. He had never been able to understand witches.  
And ran her hand over her transfiguration book, which was seated next to her by the window. Her room was cluttered with text books like these. She had a set for the public school she attended and a set for the witchcraft she studied at home. Her uncle thought it to be a bother to send her to a wizarding school, so she'd sent away for books every year and taught herself.  
She had no idea if her parents had magic in their blood. She only knew that she did. Her uncle was mortal, or muggle, as wizards call them. No one but her Uncle knew about her ability to do magic. She thought it best to keep it secret, as did he.  
She was not popular, which you wouldn't know to look at her. She was a beautiful girl. She wasn't tall, but she gave the appearence that she was. She had almond-shaped green-blue eyes that shown in the light, and soft, thick brown hair that hung just below her shoulders. Her skin was smooth and flawless, with the slightest hints of golden undertones. She was, however, very different. She was an artist: a painter, a singer, an dancer. She had a mind of her own, and a free spirit. She wasn't like most people at her school, popular or not. She wasn't blond; she wasn't skinny, and she wasn't athletic. She made a fool of herself in gym class reguarly. The girls she knew were typical. They would roll their gym shorts up until they showed off basically all of their stick-straight legs. Somehow, to them, weighing 80 pounds was normal. Ana wasn't what you would call overwight at all. She had a curvy, slim figure, mainly from dance. 'Not the trend in Hollywood today,' she would think regretably. But she didn't need superficiality. She had an inner passion, a driving force in her soul that made her fall completely into her paintings, her music, her dancing. Perhaps it was this passion that set her apart the most.  
"Ana!" a voice called. She jumped, startled at the sound of her name being shouted, piercing the serene morning silence. It was her Uncle Tommy. And he sounded angry.  
She jumped up from the chair she was sitting in and ran anxiously into the living room.  
Uncle Tommy was standing by the door, the mail in his left hand. In his right he held one particular letter which looked as though it had been hastily ripped open. His eyes were blazing, and he wore a dangerous scowl on his face.  
"Uh, yeah?" Ana asked, trying to look as innocent as possible, though she'd doen nothing wrong. It was always a good idea to look as innocent as posible around Uncle Tommy.  
"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.  
Ana had a puzzled expression on her face. "The meaning of what?"  
"This!" he bellowed, holding up his right hand, which was shaking with rage.  
"The letter?" she asked. "Who's it for?"  
"Don't pretend like you dont know! Now why do they think you're gonna go to this school? What have you told them?"  
Ana stared at him in shock. What on earth was he talking about?  
"You better tell me, girl!"  
At this point, Ana wouldn't be surprised if he started foaming at the mouth. Uncle Tommy, known for his red-hot temper, was beginning to show it now.  
"But, I've never even read it-"  
"Don't you dare give me that! And just who in the hell is after you! Why are you the target?! What have you been doing, going around behind my back?"  
Ana was beginning to get scared. Was someone really after her? Who were "they" and why did they want her to go to a different school?  
"Honestly, I don't know," Ana said carefully.  
"Maybe this'll refresh your memory," he spat, throwing the envelope at her.  
Ana quickly tore out the letter. It was written in shiny green ink, and in an elegant, spidery script. She read it intently, sure not to miss a thing.  
  
Dear Ms. Anastasia Rosewood,  
We here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry feel it urgent for you to come and attend school here for a time. Dark forces are growing and you are likely to be a target. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore will explain to you your position and situation once you arrive. Please come as soon as possible and send an owl right away.  
Sincerely,  
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall  
  
As Ana read the last few lines of the letter, she realized in utter shock that words, in the same color and script as the rest of the letter, began forming across the bottom. They read:  
  
P.S. Look in your room.  
  
Ana didn't know what to make of the letter. If anything, the letter had made the situation even more confusing. She still didn't know who "they" were, as she didn't even recognize the name Minerva McGonagall, or, for that matter, Albus Dumbledore. However, Hogwarts seemed strangely familiar...as though she'd heard of it before.  
Hogwarts! Of course! The famous school in England. It was a school of wizardry. But why would they want her there now? She was 16. What were the dark forces, and why would she be a target? She'd never been a part of the magic world, she barely knew a thing about it (besides spells.) So what could she have done wrong? So many questions.  
"Well?" Uncle Tommy stared at her, waiting for a response. I-I don't know, really. Hogwarts is a school in England for magic, but I don't know why I'm wanted there-"  
"Damn it, I'm so sick of this!" he shrieked, throwing his hands up in the air. "When I took you in, I had no idea what a freak you was! That's it! This time, you're going. I want you out of my house! I don't care if you gotta swim the damn ocean to get to Hog's Tail or whatever, just get out of my house and leave me the hell alone!"  
Ana stood in shock. Her head was spinning. She knew, in her heart of hearts, he truly meant it. Without thinking, she bolted out of the living room, her eyes to the floor, ran down the hall, and into her room, the letter still clutched in her hand. When she got in, she slammed the door, afraid to look behind her, for fear her uncle was following her. When she looked up to face the window, she nearly screamed. A man was standing there, right in the middle of her room. 


	3. Default Chapter Title

A/N: I'm back! Happy Holidays to everyone! Okay, not much to say right now, except that part 2 is, obviously, finished and I've begun work on part 3. Also, I'm writing another fic, with no connection to the Ana series, but it may be a while before I post it, because I don't know exactly where I'm going with it. Well, anyway, R/R please, make an author smile today! :D  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The man was tall, thin, wearing long, black robes that contrasted deeply with his pale, milky skin. His hair was jet black and long, about shoulder length, and looked remarkably greasy, as though he'd slicked it back with a gallon of hair oil. He had a goatee, and the deepest ebony eyes she had ever seen.   
"Ana?" he asked in a deep voice. He wore a stern, skeptical expression on his face, and spoke in a hushed manner.  
Ana was terrified. She backed up against the closed door, her eyes wide in horror. "Who-who are you?" she sputtered, "How did you get in?"  
He grinned at her - although the grin could have very well been a slight sneer - and began to speak, quietly and steadily. "Let me introduce myself. Professor Severus Snape, potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And, in answering your second question, I apparated here."  
"This- this is what they meant by 'Look in your room?'" she asked nervously.  
"No, actually. This is what they meant," he said, moving to the side to show a large, gray owl sitting by the window. "But, they sent me instead, a last minute thing. Thought it would be safer."  
"Who are 'they?'"  
"The staff of Hogwarts, and the Ministry Of Magic," he explained dully.  
Ana knew of the Ministry, but not of anyone in it. Severus must have noticed the puzzled expression on her face, because he then said,   
"Don't you know the Ministry? In England?"  
"Well, yes, I've heard of them," Ana responded a bit uncertainly.  
He seemed surprised. "You're a witch? And how old are you, 17?"  
"16."  
"16 then. And you don't know about the ministry?"  
Ana was feeling annoyed. She wanted to tell him that she had lived outside of the magic world her entire life, and would have no way of knowing about anything, but he continued to speak. "What about Hogwarts? And Dumbledore?"  
"I know about Hogwarts, too. But Dumbledore-" she paused , thinking for a quick moment. "Hey, wasn't Dumbledore the one who defeated that dark wizard a while ago?"  
Severus girnned (sneered) again. "Well, yes, that's true. But he's...so much more. He's probably the most powerful good wizard around today. Not to mention Headmaster of Hogwarts, which reminds me of why I'm here." He took a step further towards Ana, and she retreated, shrinking back further into the door. Severus raised an eyebrow, but continued. "I'm here to take you to Hogwarts."  
"N-now?" she asked, in complete surprise. It was as if her world had been turned upside down.  
"Yes, of course now," said Severus, irritation in his voice, "what did you expect?"  
"I don't know, maybe a little notice? Look, why is this so urgent? I still don't understand." Severus was gazing into her eyes, as if reading her mind. His eyes were so black, like deep, churning oceans she was lost in...  
"I'm not sure exactly why," he said suddenly."But it's obviously safest. The dark lord has risen again. And, for-" he paused, and swallowed, "some reason I'm not aware of, they fear you are in grave danger. Hogwarts is the safest place around, you can be protected there. And, you can attend school as well."  
"The dark lord? Who is the dark lord?"  
Severus was looking angry. "I can't tell you. I'm to leave it up to Dumbledore. He would have come, him or Hagrid, probably. But Hagrid is away on business with the giants, and Dumbledore is needed at the school every minute these days. So he sent me to - collect you."  
"Collect me?" Ana retoted skeptically.  
"You know what I mean."  
"Yeah."  
"Er..." Snape began digging through his pockets, as if trying to find something, "we can buy your things if we hurry, some basic supplies you need, and I see you already have your books, which is good. Saves time. And, well, your robes, of course." He tossed a folded piece of parchment at her he had found in the pocket of his robes. It was a supply list for 6th years.   
"I'll be in 6th year?"  
"You said you were 16? Yes...yes, you'll be in 6th year. There are only 7 years. You are starting pretty late."  
"Okay, so I'll have classes there? Like, I'm going to school?" she asked.  
"Yes. Dumbledore would prefer if you carried out this year, and next.  
Ana suddenly remembered Uncle Tommy, and involuntarily stepped away from the door. He wanted her gone anyway, but then she realized. She had no money.  
"Look, I don't know, I don't have any cash, and-"  
"Dumbledore is providing for you right now, knowing your situation and it being late notice," explained Severus. " I have his money for you with me."  
"Are you serious?"  
"Yes. Why do you look so scared?" he asked earnestly.  
"I'm just a bit overwhelmed, that's all. This is strange to take in." However, Ana knew she was mainly terrified her uncle would burst in the door any minute, but she could hardly say that.  
"Of course. I understand. What about your uncle?"  
"What about him?" she nearly snapped. Was he reading her thoughts?  
"Well, shouldn't you tell him? I mean, we really should go now, and..."  
"No, he," she hesitated, realizing the shame she felt in the statement she was about to say, "he doesn't really care if I'm gone. He, um, he wants me to leave, actually."  
Severus looked at her curiously, as though he was studdying her face. He seemed to have been doing this the entire time, he barely once took his eyes off her. It was almost as if there was a twinge of compassion in his stern face. But it seemed so only for an instant.  
"Er, was that what all the screaming was about?" he asked a bit sheepishly.  
"Um, yeah, basically," Ana admitted. "You were here for that?"  
"Some of it." He looked uncomfortable. Once again his character grin/sneer appeared on his face. "Er, we should go now...have you ever apparated before?"  
"Only in learning how...never all the way to England, though. So I'll be living there, then?"  
"Yes, you'll be sorted into a house and live in that dorm."  
"Okay," she breathed.  
"You might want to pack some things," he suggested.  
"I don't have much," said Ana, as she ran around her tiny room. She grabbed her backpack, threw in some clothes, schoolbooks, and a few other items. Her mind was racing. Everything was so rushed, and so amazing, it was almost as if it was a dream.  
While she did this, Severus made use of the owl. He scribbled a quick note on a piece of parchment, and sent it out with the bird. When she'd finished, Severus looked in her direction.  
"Um," Ana began, "sir, what do I call you?"  
"You will be my student. Professor Snape will be appropriate." He grinned at her slightly, and Ana was positive it was a grin this time.  
She nodded in response.  
"Ready to go?" he asked.  
Ana bit her lip and nodded once again.  
And, together, they apparated, just as soon as Ana had taken one last look at the room she hated, in the house of Uncle Tommy, away from a school she loathed, and into a world of magic she had, for her entire life, been cast out of.  
  
  
A/N: Hi back again. Just wanted to say a quick HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! OK, I'm done now. Really. I mean it this time.   
:) 


	4. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Hi peeps. Sorry it took so long, but, ya know, the holidays...but now Chapter 3 is done! Okay, that's all. Talk is cheap. You can read now ^.^ !  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
Diagon Alley was crowded with wizards and witches of all ages, cloaked in different-colored robes, by the time Ana and Severus arrived. Ana marveled at the sights surrounding her, her eyes darting from store to store. They had names she'd never in her life heard of, with the exceptions of Ollivander's Wands and Flourish and Blotts, for it was in these two stores she'd ordered her wand, books, and a few necessary ingredients. She saw that a store called The Apothacary was over-run with young wizards and witches, flanked by their frazzled-looking parents, and, in venturing further in her observations, noticed that basically every store was.  
"This is - amazing," she breathed.  
"This?" Professor Snape asked in surprise. "Oh, yes, I forgot where you are coming from.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ana demanded indignantly, noting a slight tone of arrogance hanging in his voice.  
"Nothing," he recovered quickly. "Er...let's go, shall we? We haven't much time. Term begins the first. You're to catch the Hogwarts express at 8 a.m. tommorow."  
As she trailed behind him through the crowded streets, mimicking his swift, steady pace, a thought that had hung hauntingly, clouding the back of her mind, slowly crept back into her conscious. "I'm not going back to Florida tonight, am I?"  
"No, we'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight."  
"The Leaky what?"  
"Over there," Snape pointed out. "It's a bar, and an inn as well. Tomorrow morning we can go to King's Cross station. I'll apparate to Hogsmeade, it's a town right outside the grounds of Hogwarts, and walk from there. You can go on the train alone. Just bring your trunk on."  
"Trunk?"  
"A trunk - to carry your supplies ."  
"Oh. And, uh, Professor, why are you walking from Hogsmeade?"  
"What's that? Oh, yes... you wouldn't know, would you? You can't apparate in or out of Hogwarts. It's bewitched."  
Ana nodded and took out her supply list. She read the first item - plain black robes. She realized the stares she was recieving, for nearly everyone (except for a muggle here and there) were clad in wizards' robes, and she was wearing an old pair of denim jeans and a faded gray t-shirt. They must have thought her to be a hopeless muggle.  
Snape was leading the way to a store called Madame Malkin's Dress Robes for All Occasions after she informed him of the identity of the first item. Ana wasn't quite sure yet if she liked Snape. He seemed a bit stand-offish and opulant in manner, and somewhat cold. And yet he was usually patient and informative, and almost a choice companion. She came to the final decision that she would have to wait a time, get to know him better. His own teaching enviroment would be a good place for this.  
He waited outside as Ana went into the fitting room of Madame Malkin's. The woman hurried around, taking measurments of Ana. There were some younger children there, most likely to be new arrivals at Hogwarts. Or, at the tender young age where much growing takes place, requiring constant changes in the sizing of clothing items. More or less, they didn't recognize Ana, though their expressions of angst matched hers.   
On her way out, she heard a little girl with two platinum braids protruding from behind her ears turn to the witch next to her and whisper, "She looks to old to be in first year!"  
Snape looked etremely bored. He was standing against the wall of the shop outside, his arms crossed on his chest, and his eyes downcast. 'God, he looks gloomy,' she thought as she approached him. She also noticed something else she thought to be quite strange. As she approached him, he looked at her as though he had been taken aback, almost frightened. His eyes became more intense, and his stance changed. His posture had now become upright, and confident. Perhaps he did this whenever confronted by someone.  
"My robes will be ready at 5," she stated. Snape nodded.  
"What's next on the list?"  
"A cloak, some hats...hats?...anyway, then the books - which I have..."  
And so it went on like this, as they raced all across Diagon Alley, buying supplies, and picking up robes. Ana never would have fathomed how much trouble wizarding school could be.  
They were greatful when the time came to check into the Leaky Cauldron. Snape offered to carry her new things, and he gave her the key to run up to her room and drop off her backpack.  
She burst into the room and collapsed on her bed. She immediately took out her portable cd player and popped in her Rammstein cd. She cranked the volume up to its highest potential, and fell aimlessly into her calming reverie...  
"Hello?" a voice called faintly in the background. She jumped up in shock, pausing right at the beginning of "Engel." She tore the headphones from her ears. "Are you deaf? I've been calling you're name," Snape said angrily.  
"Oh, sorry. I can't hear with my headphones on."  
"Fine. Here are your supplies, and robes. I wanted to let you know I dropped them off. I'm leaving now..." he paused, shooting her a quizzical look. "Headphones?"  
"Oh," she said, grinning. "I guess you wouldn't know. I forgot where you are coming from."  
"The tables have turned, I see. What do they do, anyways? Block out sound?"  
Ana couldn't help laughing. "Not exactly. Come here."  
Snape sat down beside her as she handed him the headset and instructed him to place it on his head, covering his ears.  
She set it to number 12 ("Rammstein.") He listened intently to the quiet beginning, and nearly jumped when the loud guitars sounded. He quickly threw the headphones off.  
"What kind of torture device is that?"  
Again, Ana laughed. "You don't like it?"  
"It would be allright, if it wasn't so damn loud."  
"You can adjust the volume, you know."  
Snape glared at her. "Now you tell me."  
"I think you would like the song 'Laichzeit' more."  
"Why?"  
"It's louder. And you would love Korn. That's a band."  
"Well, I think that's all for tonight," he remarked with a sneer. He stood up and made his way to the door. "Well...goodnight."  
"Um...professor?"  
He turned.  
"Thank you, for, uh, for today-" she began slowly, and hesitantly.   
"Quite all right," he assured her. And he left. The room at the inn was warm and inviting. A lamp near her bed gave a circle of yellow glow that spilled about the floor. She began listening to Rammstein again. She loved loud music, and was a devout rocker. It was as if they screamed so she didn't have to.  
'Here I am,' she finally thought. 'This is it. I'm here, surrouded by magic.' And she fell asleep, dreaming of a utopian life where she did not live in the alienated minority, and of the next day's journey. 


End file.
